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墨書 Inktalez
In the gradually awakening Ming Shi, after listening to Xu Hang's account, Deng Yinyin and the others realized they were trapped in an unprecedented predicament. Starting from two o'clock in the afternoon, the sea would begin to rise, and by then, the entire island and its inhabitants would be submerged, leaving no survivors.
However, what lay before the group at the Campsite was not the two remaining statues they had yet to find, but rather the statue that had been taken by Xiong Qilin. The only way to piece together all four statues was to take action.
"We should steal the statues from other teams," Xie Huai said with a grave expression, his body aching from the side effects of Muscle Relaxant. "This is our last chance. No matter what it takes, we have to get them back."
"The result of stealing them is that we would indirectly cause the deaths of others," Deng Yinyin hesitated, her tendency to talk big contrasting sharply with her reluctance to act. "This is different from finding the statues ourselves."
Xie Huai glanced at Deng Yinyin and then at Xu Hang, who leaned expressionlessly against a tree after barely resting all night. Some words remained unspoken in his throat. When they undertook personal missions before, their situation had been somewhat better; Deng Yinyin had been able to harm Xu Hang without hesitation back then. Now, during a team mission with circumstances so dire, she seemed unmotivated. This difference left him feeling somewhat disheartened, but Deng Yinyin was still the woman he admired; he pushed those feelings aside and refrained from dwelling on them.
"Let's wait for Gu Ze to come back when it warms up."
He Min spoke up at this moment with words Xu Hang would typically say. Her naturally graceful voice was carried away by the Forest's wind, sounding somewhat weak.
"They've been out there for so long; they must have made some good discoveries. Even if they didn't catch up with Xiong Qi and Lin, staying out there for such a long time surely means they've found something else; otherwise, they would have returned by now."
He Min believed she understood Xu Nuan well enough to see through her lively exterior to her inner fragility. Now she could see Xu Nuan's competitive spirit and strength beneath her calm Rationality facade. The girl who once seemed abandoned by the world might have become one of the few fortunate ones in this game under someone else's careful protection.
The girl she first met had grown into someone capable of standing on her own, especially with an exceptionally talented man accompanying her. She was confident they had achieved something valuable, but having developed a cautious nature over time, she learned to leave room for interpretation in her words; this would create a better impression.
"I think so too."
Xu Hang chimed in while leaning against the tree, rubbing his temples as fatigue seeped into his voice. In truth, if he wanted to, he could fall asleep right there.
"Everyone should rest here for a bit and eat something. Regardless of what happens next, things will get tougher for us."
Everyone knew that although Xu Hang appeared serious, he was attentive and caring toward his teammates. When he spoke, even if others had objections, they wouldn't voice them openly. Most in this team had developed a habit of relying on Xu Hang; they couldn't bear to imagine what would happen if one day he faced trouble or if his mindset changed—what would become of their team and their fates?
As He Min believed, upon returning, Xu Nuan and Gu Ze brought back significant gains: two statues and clues about the whereabouts of the remaining two statues.
Deng Yinyin and Xie Huai were not the only ones surprised; even the usually composed Xu Hang showed a look of astonishment. Gu Ze and Xu Nuan always seemed to bring unexpected joy to them. However, seeing how exhausted the two looked, they happily took the statue away and urged them to sit down for a bite to eat and rest for a while before setting off again to search for more statues.
The group remaining at the Campsite shared an unspoken understanding not to pry into what had happened. They could tell that the two involved clearly did not want to discuss it, and in this game, the outcome was always more important than the process. As teammates, they naturally enjoyed the fruits of their collective efforts without being overly concerned about the sacrifices made by others.
Xu Nuan rubbed her forehead as she leaned against a tree, almost instantly falling into a deep sleep. Unfortunately, just a few minutes later, she was shaken awake by the serious-faced He Min.
Struggling to open her eyes, Xu Nuan, who had learned not to have a bad mood in the game, groggily looked at He Min, who was offering her water and food.
"You haven't eaten in a long time. Eat first, then sleep."
He Min's expression was earnest, her eyes filled with concern. This side of her caught Gu Ze's attention from a distance; he glanced over briefly before quickly averting his gaze, only to see Deng Yinyin and Xu Hang simultaneously offering food as well.
"Got it."
Now barely conscious, Xu Nuan paid little attention to her surroundings. She sluggishly accepted the food and mechanically stuffed it into her mouth, her cheeks moving in a robotic manner.
He Min sat beside her and sighed at the sight. There was a resemblance between Xu Nuan now and when she first entered the game, but upon closer observation, it was clear that she had changed in many ways. He Min had to admit that these changes were largely due to this team, and more specifically, to Gu Ze—the seemingly gentle yet enigmatic man.
"What happened to those two?"
Once Xu Nuan had eaten enough to feel less drowsy, He Min finally asked. She believed that Xu Nuan would not hide anything from her.
"They passed out; I didn't bother with them."
Xu Nuan quickly understood that He Min was asking about specific individuals and casually brushed it off. In her view, those two—along with Guo Xu, who had yet to be found—were destined to be sacrifices in this round. Since Chi Xiaoming and his associates could act so generously towards Xiong Qilin, there was no need for them as victims to feign sympathy for those lives.
She had already learned not to shed tears or feel sorrow for despicable people.
"Then, does that mean Chi Xiaoming and the others have already passed this stage?"
Compared to Deng Yinyin and Xie Huai, who were limited by their current gains and circumstances, He Min clearly thought further ahead. This was also why she could advance faster than them after Yu Hao's death, even when she set out alone with Xu Nuan.
"Yeah, I guess we owe it to them."
Xu Nuan's voice was soft, but she actually meant it was thanks to Tang Jing Shu.
"I see. It just feels," He Min squinted slightly, "that we will inevitably encounter them in the upcoming Survival Game. They are a very strong team."
While drinking water, Xu Nuan turned her head to look at He Min, who wore a serene smile. She was somewhat surprised; why did it seem to her that He Min's words carried significant meaning? Although most Players currently traveled in pairs and had formed their own teams, this game was fundamentally an individual competition. The initial rules did not specify how many people could ultimately win the prize, leading everyone to believe that teaming up would increase their chances of success. After all, in the end, everyone would receive their own Billion Dollar Prize without conflict. Moreover, the game occasionally featured team missions, which further reinforced the idea that working together was more reliable. However, He Min's words seemed to praise teamwork while actually mocking it.
Still feeling a bit dazed, Xu Nuan wondered if this was just her illusion when she suddenly thought of something else.
"By the way, Amin, weren't you only in contact with Qin Yaojie and Zhou Long in that team? Does Zhang Xiao know about our relationship?"
Xu Nuan was quite concerned about Zhang Xiao, who seemed elusive and had not yet taken action. She feared that Zhang Xiao might have already begun plotting against her friends and companions. She didn't want her own issues to put He Min and the others in danger.
"Ah."
Xu Nuan's question caught He Min off guard; she let out a brief sound before continuing.
"He should know because I was talking with Yaojie when he was present. He must have guessed it."
Xu Nuan immediately felt uneasy. The Third Batch of Players had interacted with her the most, and since He Min was her friend and mentor, it was only natural that Zhang Xiao would be drawn to her presence.
"Warm."
As Xu Nuan squinted in thought, He Min hesitantly spoke up.
"Hmm?"
Coming back to her senses, Xu Nuan looked at He Min, puzzled by her hesitation. But the next moment, He Min's words made Xu Nuan's heart tremble.
"Why don't you ask me what happened between me and Qin Yaojie?"
Xu Nuan's face paled slightly, and those nearby who had been casually listening to their conversation cast a glance at her. To Xu Nuan's surprise, the usually considerate He Min pressed on.
"Besides, I noticed you always call him by his name. Clearly, you two..."
He Min ultimately did not finish her sentence. Initially, she thought Xu Nuan still had feelings for Qin Yaojie, but she gradually realized that was her own misconception. She had clung to her feelings for Yu Hao all this time, while Xu Nuan had changed in this regard, which she was reluctant to accept. Especially since she believed Qin Yaojie deeply loved Xu Nuan and that Xu Nuan was the one to let go of that relationship. She didn't want her friend to become someone heartless; in fact, she hoped this would motivate her not to become that kind of person herself.
Though Xu Nuan's expression was somewhat grim, she remained silent and did not respond to He Min. Some things, even He Min could not know. Feelings were like drinking water; only the person experiencing them truly understood their warmth or coldness. This notion was very true for her. The relics of the past contained few secrets, and a particular phrase finally made her realize something important. It was something she needed to ponder alone, without anyone else knowing—even if that someone was He Min.
"Nuan."
Xu Nuan's silence displeased He Min. The concern on her face faded as she struggled to suppress the complex emotions rising within her. She stared directly at Xu Nuan and asked slowly and deliberately,
"Are you hiding something from me?"
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